Lawn care tasks are commonly performed using various tools and/or machines that are configured for the performance of corresponding specific tasks. Certain tasks, like grass cutting, are typically performed by lawn mowers. Lawn mowers themselves may have many different configurations to support the needs and budgets of consumers. Walk-behind lawn mowers are typically compact, have comparatively small engines and are relatively inexpensive. Meanwhile, at the other end of the spectrum, riding lawn mowers, such as lawn tractors, can be quite large. Riding lawn mowers can sometimes also be configured with various functional accessories (e.g., trailers, tillers and/or the like) in addition to grass cutting components. Riding lawn mowers provide the convenience of a riding vehicle as well as a typically larger cutting deck as compared to a walk-behind model.
Riding lawn mowers may sometimes take the form of lawn tractors that position an operator over a cutting deck and behind a steering assembly that is positioned between the engine of the lawn tractor and the seat that supports the operator. In such a form, the engine may be covered by a hood. The hood may function to protect the engine from the elements, but may also reduce the amount of noise that the operator hears and provide for an improved aesthetic appearance of the lawn tractor. In some cases, the hood may be mounted on a hinge assembly so that the operator can tilt the hood open for access to the engine. However, the employment of a hinge assembly could make it difficult or complicated to assemble the lawn tractor during the production process.